Dar es Salaam. Retired senior executives of the Citizen Communications Limited (MCL) have described the former Ismailia sect, the Honorable Aga Khan as the leader who spent the rest of his life to help communities in all the countries he invested.
MCL, which publishes the Citizens' Newspapers, The Citizen and the Reporter is one of the subsidiaries of the Nation Media Group (NMG), a company created by the Honorable Aga Khan through the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), which manages many other companies.
The Honorable Aga Khan, the 49th Imams of the Shia Ismailia sect, died on February 4, 2025, at the age of 88.
His son, the son of King Rahim al-Hussaini has been appointed as the 50th Imam replacing the leader.
The senior executives said Aga Khan IV was a long -standing vision, who believed in the development of the community and provided the opportunity for professionals.
Former MCL CEO, Bakari Machumu said he began to know the Honorable Aga Khan by tracking his establishment of the Nation and National News Company in Kenya, at the age of 24.
Machumu said it was a high -profile courage and a broader vision to help the community, through the provision of developmental information and accountability through good governance.
“He was a person who was aimed at helping the community whose media was working. So, if you look at AKDN a great foundation was a service to humanity (service to humanity).
“So you can describe the nobleman Aga Khan as a person who was in a position, believed something if you did well will pay you,” said Machumu who also worked as the editor of The Citizen and eventually the CEO for 20 years.
He said the noble Aga Khan dedicated his life to serving other humans, so he is a great contributor to the world, who left after fulfilling the work he had come to do.
He said he was a man with a long vision, explaining all NMG or MCL plans were 50 years forward, so he was looking 50 years ahead.
He said NMG had reached more than 60 years when the MCL had reached 22 years and would reach 50 and more.
“The reports of his death have grieved me as any other human being. I pray for the believers of Ismailia, the AKDN family, to be patient and pray for him, the main thing is to live what he has built for us, ”he said.
Former MCL's chief executive, Theophil Makunga said the Honorable Aga Khan IV loved democracy and was giving experts the opportunity to run his companies without interfering with them.
He has cited his media, that he allowed editors to work freely, which is why in the NMG/MCL information policy there is an element that tells the editor is the last person to decide the information to be published in the media.
“In that case, he wanted professionals (professionals) to run his companies, we were actually running professionally (professional),” said Makunga who is the founding editor of the Citizen newspaper.
He expressed sadness at the report of the leader's death as he knew him as a person who believed his people and gave them the opportunity to work without interfering with them and that is why his companies are doing well.
“When I learned that he was dead, I was shocked. It's sad but because we all go there, we thank God for giving us, ”he said.
He listened rather than talking
Francis Nanai, another former CEO MCL, said the leader was a more listening person than speaking, which gave him the opportunity to understand people's problems and the challenges they face.
He said he met the Honorable Aga Khan IV twice and recognizes him as a vibrant leader, capable of recognizing and analyzing things.
Nanai said Aga Khan IV was making a decision for what he did a good analysis.
“He was a diplomat with great ability to recognize the leadership in power and all his or her organs and to see how to live with it. That is why I do not remember when he has ever had a crisis in countries where his business is, whether Kenya or Tanzania.
“We know that the Jubilee Insurance belongs to him, Aga Khan Hospital belongs to him, Aga Khan University belongs to him, Citizen Communications Ltd belongs to him. All if you look at his work performance is good and there is no conflict we hear, ”he said.
He noted that he was a guardian father, a religious leader, a vibrant businessman and there are many things to imitate from him, including having a love and good counselor.
“I remember we had met in his house in Oysterbay, he told us in writing yes you can decide that it is very objective (writing correctly) or being very honest, but you must look at the context (context) of what you write, what do you write? Does all the truth come from?
“So, he said in writing, despite the fact that you had to be honest, to balance. It is also important to look at the context (context) of what you write. I was very understood to be a journalist, ”he said.
Nanai said the world has lost a great, famous, father, grandfather, so Tanzanians and the world at large pray for God, receive him to heaven because the inheritance he has left will not be wiped out.
For his part, Tido Mhando, who has also served as the CEO of the MCL, remembered when he met the Honorable Aga Khan and shared hand, noting in Hindu traditions, giving him a hand brings a blessing.
He explains he feels a double blessed after receiving that respect several times.
During his service as director, Tido attended an annual business performance assessment at the Holy Resident Aga Khan, France under NMG.
He said he was surprised by the way a person with the world's business interests took the time to understand the MCL's performance.
He said despite receiving information, Aga Khan expressed a thorough understanding of the company's activities and the political situation in Tanzania.
Tido said the leader was surprised when you were brought to the debate that Citizen had been closed, the leader gave important advice that helped the company after his return.
“I was very pleased with the nobleman as he was giving justice to his institutions, regardless of their size or location. He was welcoming, openly in talks and was interested in supporting good journalism that he believed was important for building authoritative and reliable media, ”he said.
He said he hoped his successor would continue to hold the values of good journalism.
Retired chairman of the MCL board, Leonard Mususa said the information industry has been challenging in operation, but the noble Aga Khan provided great financial support, capital capital and maintaining patience before making a profit.
“He played an important role in providing professionals either by examining or looking at them. If you look at the structure of the NMG Board, you will see the people of the highest Kaliba, ”he said.
Mususa said there were people from the Washington Post, the New York Times and the Financial Times.
“He was not the person who sought the immediate financial income (dividends). In implementing a digital change strategy, its goal has not been profitable. This is the strategy that is being implemented now after the comprehensive implemented in 2022 and the Financial Times, ”he said.
He said the team should make sure the change is successful, suggesting that despite the challenges in the media strategy, NMG Group and MCL are progressing well.
“Respecting his inheritance is to make sure help is provided in digital change. We have to make sure the process of reform is successful, ”he said.
